Unlocked Site at Banyo Creates Expressions-of-Interest Deluge

Within two weeks of unlocking an under-utilised government-owned site for development, the desk of Economic Development Queensland boss Julian Simmonds is awash with no less than 165 expressions of interest. Not that he is too surprised. Nor for that matter, were any of the 400-strong gathering at The Urban Developer 2026 Brisbane Outlook last week where Simmonds was speaking as part of a panel of industry heavyweights. But as he noted: “It shows there is a great need within the industry to get supply of land going”. The land release in question is a 6.5ha development-ready former Energex depot site at 56 Blinzinger Road, Banyo, about 16km north of the Brisbane CBD and touted to have the capacity for an infill development comprising up to 400 medium-density homes. It is part of the Queensland Government’s Land Activation Program aimed at not only unlocking sites for development but fast-tracking housing delivery through partnerships with the private sector. The long-vacant Banyo holding is the latest addition to the previously announced Turbot Street and Visy South Brisbane land releases, which also form part of the program. Simmonds is already 10 months into the role of EDQ chief executive, much of which has been spent refocusing on driving activity—particularly housing but also industrial development—within its priority development areas (PDAs) and “making sure that our development assessment is as quick as possible”. “Our role is as an enabler,” he said. “So we are here to de-risk sites for you, decontaminate them, get them away from other departments, demolish, put a planning framework around them, whatever you might need, and then get them out to the market so that you can all do what you do best.” Simmonds said the recently launched Land Activation Program was “a little bit different from previous government efforts to activate surplus government land”. “First of all, it’s a Cabinet-approved program where we, through the ministerial housing task force that our the Deputy Premier Jarrod Bleijie chairs, can direct other departments to give land to EDQ so we can take the running … control the timeframe to get sites out to market quickly,” he said. “Then the other thing that makes this program different is the fact that we are accepting submissions from the market about government sites that you might want to turn on or see turned on, either as a direct transaction or something that we can get the land out of the department and get it out to market. “And we’re seeing great feedback from the market on both.” Reflecting on the latest KPMG research presented to attendees at the packed industry event—showing that after a four-year decline building approvals across South-East Queensland had rebounded in 2024-25 to 29,151—Simmonds was keen to espouse EDQ’s input to the resurgence. “Well, EDQ is 8000 of those,” he said. “Our priority development areas make up about 51 per cent of all greenfield land within South-East Queensland. “So my point is … when EDQ is firing and it is getting through approvals quickly, and it is turning on land and creating activity in priority development areas, then there is a significant uptick for the whole market in terms of both the number of dwellings being turned on and their affordability.”

Industrial
Phil Bartsch
Tue 24 Feb 26

Unlocked Site at Banyo Creates Expressions-of-Interest Deluge

Dubai’s Shape-Shifting Sobha Brings Transformational Playbook to Australia

From Casino Floor to Lecture Hall: Brisbane’s Biggest Heritage Fit-Out

Productivity Commission Maps Escape from Housing Affordability Dead-Ends

What’s Real, What’s Not: Human-Led Precincts Have the Edge in Age of AI

Frank Developments Joins Gold Coast Surf Park Megaproject

Meet the Makers: Jamie Durie, Jennifer Macquarie and Michael Romano

Behind the Build: The EVE by TOGA with Senior Development Manager James Aspinall

Behind the Build: 25Hours Hotel, The Olympia with TZG Director Tim Greer

Follow the Money: Transaction Activity, Asset Values and The Flow of Capital

Dubai’s Shape-Shifting Sobha Brings Transformational Playbook to Australia

Downsizers Back Pask’s Apartments Gamble at Brisbane’s Rochedale

Queensland, NT Oppose Feds’ Planned Data Centre Energy Underwrite Law

Pembroke Greenlit for Debut 210-Apartment Fitzroy BtR Project

Purpose-Built Student Accommodation Summit 2026

Retirement and Aged Care Summit 2026

Commercial Real Estate Lunch 2026

The Urban Developer Urban Leader Awards 2026

Dubai’s Shape-Shifting Sobha Brings Transformational Playbook to Australia

From Casino Floor to Lecture Hall: Brisbane’s Biggest Heritage Fit-Out

Productivity Commission Maps Escape from Housing Affordability Dead-Ends

What’s Real, What’s Not: Human-Led Precincts Have the Edge in Age of AI

Frank Developments Joins Gold Coast Surf Park Megaproject

IndustrialPhil BartschTue 24 Feb 26

Unlocked Site at Banyo Creates Expressions-of-Interest Deluge

Dubai’s Shape-Shifting Sobha Brings Transformational Playbook to Australia

From Casino Floor to Lecture Hall: Brisbane’s Biggest Heritage Fit-Out

Productivity Commission Maps Escape from Housing Affordability Dead-Ends

What’s Real, What’s Not: Human-Led Precincts Have the Edge in Age of AI

Frank Developments Joins Gold Coast Surf Park Megaproject

Meet the Makers: Jamie Durie, Jennifer Macquarie and Michael Romano

Behind the Build: The EVE by TOGA with Senior Development Manager James Aspinall

Behind the Build: 25Hours Hotel, The Olympia with TZG Director Tim Greer

Follow the Money: Transaction Activity, Asset Values and The Flow of Capital

Dubai’s Shape-Shifting Sobha Brings Transformational Playbook to Australia

Downsizers Back Pask’s Apartments Gamble at Brisbane’s Rochedale

Queensland, NT Oppose Feds’ Planned Data Centre Energy Underwrite Law

Pembroke Greenlit for Debut 210-Apartment Fitzroy BtR Project

Purpose-Built Student Accommodation Summit 2026

Retirement and Aged Care Summit 2026

Commercial Real Estate Lunch 2026

The Urban Developer Urban Leader Awards 2026

Dubai’s Shape-Shifting Sobha Brings Transformational Playbook to Australia

From Casino Floor to Lecture Hall: Brisbane’s Biggest Heritage Fit-Out

Productivity Commission Maps Escape from Housing Affordability Dead-Ends

What’s Real, What’s Not: Human-Led Precincts Have the Edge in Age of AI

Frank Developments Joins Gold Coast Surf Park Megaproject

Industrial
Phil Bartsch
Tue 24 Feb 26